Tagged: How to deal with mosquitoes

Nothing can ruin a beautiful, summer day faster than being attacked by blood-thirsty mosquitoes the moment you step outside! Although it might be impossible to eradicate them completely, you can fight back. You will need:

Repellent containing DEET
Yellow Light Bulbs
Fan

Optional:

Mosquito fish or larvicide
CO2 trapping device
Insecticide

Always use extreme caution when using insecticides. Follow the directions on the label.

Step 1: To get rid of mosquitoes, you must eliminate any standing water around your home. That’s where they breed. Things like flower pots, recycling bins, puddles, or even a small, overturned lid can result in thousands of mosquitoes. Do you have a bird bath? Change the water every couple of days. Be sure to treat swimming pools, and ask your neighbors to do the same. Stock ponds with mosquito fish, which feed on the larvae, or use a mosquito larvicide product.

Step 2: Mow your lawn frequently, and try to reduce vegetation around your house, which is where mosquitoes live.

Step 3: Make sure all of your windows and doors are kept tightly sealed. Screens should be 16 to 18 mesh. Any holes or tears should be repaired immediately.

Step 5: If you have to be outside – particularly dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active, wear long sleeves and trousers, if possible. Either apply a repellent containing DEET, or appy Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon-Eucalyptus…the only repellents considered by the Center for Disease Control and Protection to be both safe for young children and effective. Contrary to popular belief, eating garlic does not repel mosquitoes, eating bananas does not attract them, and, burning citronella candles is only slightly more effective than burning any kind of candle!

Step 6 – Direct a fan to blow on you when you’re outside, or, if you have a mosquito trapped inside that you can’t catch. Mosquitoes aren’t strong fliers, so it will make it difficult to land on you. Try to avoid shady areas, where mosquitoes tend to rest, even in the heat of the day.

Step 7 – Consider trying a mosquito-trapping device that lures the bugs with CO2. They can work. Although whether it captures enough mosquitoes to make a noticeable difference depends on many variables – even including the particular species of mosquito in your area. Don’t waste your money on ultrasonic devices or bug zappers. Ultrasonic simply doesn’t work, and zappers have been proven to result in no significant difference in the overall amount of mosquitoes in the yard.

Step 8: Mosquitoes can carry such diseases as Encephalitis, Malaria and West Nile Virus. If you’re in an infected area, consider spraying the heavy foliage near your house with pesticides; although, given the health risks, this should be a last-ditch effort.

Did you know? Mosquitoes can sense the lactic acid on your skin and the carbon dioxide in your breath from up to 100 feet away!